Name: Petra WiednerÂ
Hometown: Baden (south of Vienna), Austria
How did you get into cycling? I engaged in handball throughout my youth and early twenties, but unfortunately had to quit due to injuries. Determined to stay active, I transitioned to cycling, initially focusing on mountain biking. As time passed, I ventured into road cycling as a pursuit for greater speed and endurance. My desire was to cover longer distances with increased swiftness. I’ve embraced triathlon now, because I find joy in the diverse challenges it offers. The combination of swimming, cycling, and running adds a refreshing variety to my fitness routine and resonates with my appreciation for variety. Despite declaring that I would never run more than 10km after I had to quit handball, this year marks a significant shift as I am preparing for my first 70.3 triathlon. I learned: “Never say never” or “I can change my mind at any time”.
How many years have you been racing on Zwift? I’ve been actively participating in racing for nearly three years now. Initially, I would occasionally take part in races, but my commitment intensified when I became a part of a team – CrushPod, leading me to compete on a more regular basis. It’s more fun suffering together – joking aside: we learn from each other, provide mutual help and support, push and encourage when needed, and even exchange baking recipes.
Are you part of a Virtual team? Yes, I joined CrushPod in August 2021. We are a women’s-only team, and thanks to the cycling tours organized by NoGodsNoMasters, many of us have had the opportunity to meet in real life.
What do you love most about racing? I have a passion for challenges, and every race presents one. It tests not only your physical and mental strength but also your concentration, endurance, reaction time, creativity with tactics, ability to endure suffering, and how well you can collaborate as a team. There’s so much more to it than simply pushing the pedals. It involves competing with others as well. Each race provides a goal for the next – to be faster, earn more points, time sprints better, and strategize attacks earlier or later. Ultimately, I aim to learn something valuable from every race.
What is your favourite style of race (e.g. points, scratch, iTT, TTT, Chase, duathlon)? The team time trials will always be one of my favourites because it aligns with what I learned with CrushPod, and since their founding, at least one team has participated in the weekly WTRL TTT. Points races are great because you have to collect FTS/FAL points, and for me, it often means pushing to the limit. In comparison, a scratch race focuses on drafting to perfection and timing your finishing sprint. In a chase race, it’s a challenge to find the team players and work together – you need to get organized quickly, and when you get caught, it completely changes. Every race category has something unique, and I can’t really decide.
What is your favourite Zwift women’s race series? It is the Tour de Boudica stage race hosted by the Warrior Games. This year, I participated in it for the first time, although CrushPod had teams competing there before. The format is great, the organization is amazing, and all the women who race in it are fantastic – there’s a great spirit from all of them.
What is your most memorable racing experience, inside or outside or BOTH? Outside: achieving victory in a 12-hour race with an all-women’s team and completing my first triathlon in Styria (where I originally come from) with a big smile. Inside: winning the ZRL with CrushPod Verdandi.
What is your favourite food to eat post race? Kefir – well, not exactly a food, but since the races are mostly in the (late) evening, and my stomach is a wetty when it comes to eating late.Â
What advice would you give to a woman entering her first Zwift race? Do it, and it doesn’t matter what the outcome is. Just feel the passion of racing. But what comes next? Find a team that provides a safe and fun community, so you can grow with them and step out of your comfort zone.
